Beach Babies

I haven't taken Pierce out very many places yet, due to my fear of whooping cough, which is abnormally popular this season, but I did take him here:

It all started with a visit to Gig Harbor to see my aunt, two cousins, and their two children as they were passing through the area.  I grew up living next door to them. These cousins were practically my siblings then, so I don't like to miss a chance to see them.

They were off on their way by noon, and the weather was beautiful, so I took the kids to my old beach, Kopachuck State Park.

Pierce slept in my arms for most of our visit, and Bethelle kept the others kids entertained. She just wrapped up a section on marine life in first grade, so she was excited to share her knowledge with her captive, adoring audience.

Curie loves to have her picture taken.  This jump was her idea.

Since He Came

I thought that I would naturally fall back into blogging all the little things that happen around here.  That hasn't happened yet.  I guess I have to retrain myself.

Here's a "documentary" persective on the previously blogged photo shoot.  We let the kids in on the action.  There were times when three cameras were clicking at once.  Nick looked at all the budding photographers running around and said that I had created monsters.  I said that I didn't mind.

 Here's a part of the shoot that didn't go so well.  Not a happy pic in the set.  Maybe I'll try this again when he thinks ties are cool.  When will that be?

 Nick read somewhere that men should have bare-chested bonding time holding their babies.  Pierce was already bare-chested due to the photo shoot, so Nick took advantage of the opportunity.  Seeing the other "men" in the family without shirts, Rigby jumped on that bandwagon.  He will do anything that he sees Nick do.

 I guess these two needed some man-bonding time as well.

 Rigby has been interesting to watch around Pierce.  He sure loves that baby.  He is the first to run to him when he cries and is very uncomfortable until a solution is found.  He seems to feel a vested interest in him, like a third parent.  I am trying to tune his efforts into being more productive.

One more shot from the formal shoot.  Here's Bethelle, pretending to be a posed baby.  That's one pretty face, if you ask me.

On Pierce's due date, I attended a quick photography class at church.  It was very informative, but left me feeling that there is no substitute for playing with the camera.  Here are some pics I took of Bethelle when I thought she was dressed fun.  I really tried to get the lighting right, and I think I did well!  Thanks for the tips, Danielle!

Changing the subject... Curie.  I love this little spit-fire.  She is my most passionate child.  She is either skipping giddily, plotting how to best infuriated me (just for fun), or head-dropped shoulder-drooped sulking.  There is not much emotional middle-ground for her.

This passion has led to the common case of sibling envy.  The craziness really spiked in the beginning and has calmed a bit, but I don't want it to plateau where we are.  She has really turned up the heat on her already strong emotions.

 But then again, it's pretty hard to be upset with that face.

 And as yet impossible to be upset with this one.

Pierce's First Photo Shoot

I know why we can't remember being babies.  It's because we slept through our first year.  What's there to remember?

Pierce will never remember this photo shoot.  He didn't even know it was happening at the time.  But here are the pictures for him to look at someday.  Attempting this formal of a shoot was a first for me.  I am trying to make my camera pay for itself.  Not to mention that I could not handle the stress of taking all the kids to the mall to have pictures taken.

Truth be told, Pierce is cradled in Nick's arm here.  Nick was shrouded in blue.

 Thank you, Pinterest, for this lovely idea.

 I love the elbow dimple and the wrinkles down the ribs in the photo below.

 Just a sweet face.

 Nick's idea, of course...

 A patriot already.  Actually, I kinda wanted to name him Patriot at one point.  But not enough, I suppose.  Can you see the smile I caught in this first one?  He's so pretty!  (Sorry, Pierce.  I'll never say that again.  Probably.)